GMR-KTM's Kristy Gillespie (KTM) has won the third and final round of the 2008 Yamaha Australian Women‰Ûªs Motocross Championship, with Adelia Barton (Honda) in second and Katherine Prumm (Yamaha) in third.
In a spectacular day of racing the sun was shining on Gillespie, who was fastest in qualifying and then took the day with second and first places in the two motos.
With two-time World Champion Prumm contending her third World title, and unable to make it back to Australia for the final round, the door was left wide open for our Aussie riders to step up onto the podium and show the crowd what they were made of.
And they didn‰Ûªt disappoint, with the girls battling it out on almost every corner their high calibre of riding demonstrated why they are Australia‰Ûªs best.
Special mention must go, however, to young Ashlea Bates (Husqvarna) who came into the round in third place and was undoubtedly one of the strongest riders of the day.
Unfortunately mechanical problems forced the Coffs Harbour local out of Qualifying and she was also unable to complete the first moto, leaving a devastated Husky Chix rider out of Championship contention.
Gillespie, who could empathise with Bates, was a deserving winner following a consistent season of riding with the Glenn McDonalds KTM Team.
‰ÛÏTo Ashlea, bad luck, I know what it‰Ûªs like, it happened to me back in 2006 and it only makes you want to go harder next year, so I‰Ûªm sure she‰Ûªll come back strong in 2009,‰Û
